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'I think in this industry and hobby, the bigger the story, the better. Also, especially if you can verify it,' he said.

'We all know that this has happened with
that card. Now it’s the infamous Bill Mastro-trimmed-Gretzky-Honus
Wagner card,' Levin said.

Last week, Goldin Auctions sold a different T206 Wagner card for $2.1million. The condition of that card was three grades lower than the Gretzky card that Master altered.

Most famous card in the world: This 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card is the most famous collecting card ever sold

Levin said the Gretzky card could easily fetch $3million is it were sold today.

In a statement released by the
Diamondbacks on Wednesday, Kendrick said: 'As a collector of rare cards
and a fan who enjoys the history of the game of baseball, today's news
does not change my pride in owning the Honus Wagner T-206 card.

Value: This card is worth so much because of its rarity - only 30 left - and its documented history

'In fact, I've been advised that the
notoriety of this turn of events has actually increased the value of the
card and I will continue to enjoy having it as part of the
"Diamondbacks collection."'

Despite Mastro's admission, a judge
on Tuesday threw out his plea deal and said that the two and a half
years of prison time promised by prosecutors might not be enough.

In addition to artificially driving up the price of goods at his Mastro Auctions company, Mastro is also accused of selling fake collectables.

Among his alleged forgeries a bogus lock of Elvis Presley's hair and a fake 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings trophy.

Rumors have long circulated about the Gretzky card. It is a remarkable example of an exceptionally rare collectible.

Pittsburgh Pirates star Honus Wagner is considered one of the best shortstops in the history of the game.

The T206 Wagner card was larger than normal baseball trading cards and was sold in packs of American Tobacco cigarettes.

Wager ordered American Tobacco to
stop printing his card after just 200 were made, objecting to the
card being sold in cigarette packs because he didn't want kids smoking.

He destroyed most of the originals himself.

Only about 30 are known to remain.

Mastro came upon the Gretzky T206 card
in 1985 when a small-time collector from Hicksville, New York, sought
to sell it for $25,000.

In 1991, Gretzky bought the card for $410,000. He sold it to WalMart in 1995 for $500,000.

Legend: Honus Wagner was one the greatest baseball players of his day and is considered among the great shortstop ever. However his baseball card is so valuable because it is so rare

WalMart then gave the card away on live TV as part of a nationwide promotion to increase its baseball card sales.

A Florida postal worker won the card, but had to immediately sell it because she couldn't afford the taxes on such a large gift.

After being sold several more times at auction, Kendrick later purchased it in 2007.

Collectors have long speculated that the card had been altered. One of the original owners, who sold it to Mastro, even publicly alleged that Mastro had cut the corners.